The Commission’s visits in the 2017-2018 financial year

Visit to Golaghat District to monitor different Government programmes and schemes for children regarding their welfare, health, nutrition and education on July 31st and August 1st 2017

ASCPCR members Mr. Gopal Chandra Sharma and Dr. Pilu Hazarika made the following visits:

Observation and recommendations:

• On July 31st, 2017, the team visited Abhaypuria AWC at Abhaypuria LP School.
• The AWC workers complained about the Head mistress saying she does not give gate keys to them during summer vacations interrupting their activities.
• And It was recommended that the concerned authorities should take immediate action.
• From the template, the team came to know that many children have never been enrolled in any elementary school.
• It was recommended that mapping of our-of-school children should be done by District Elementary Education Office (DEEO), and concerted efforts should be made to enroll the children in age appropriate classes through special coaching under the RTE Act.
• Special communication and awareness generation strategy must be in place to address the challenges of high rate of out of school children in tea garden areas.
• A visit to Doyang High School in Merapani, revealed that the school authority collected rupees. 40 from each student for conducting their half yearly examination, which is violation of RTE Act.
• It was recommended that action should be taken by concerned authority immediately after proper investigation, and submit reports to the Commission on the same.
• There was violation of MDM scheme under ICDS as on the day of visit midday meal was not provided to the students, even though it was a working day.
• The team visited the District Jail and found five children were staying with their convicted mother.
• The tea recommended that concerned authorities should immediately link up the ICDS project (through nearest Anganwadi Centers).
• The DCPU should visit the Jail regularly.
• Visit to Swardhar Shelter Home showed that there is lack of maintenance of records.
• It was recommended that district officials visit the home and every child presented before the CWC.
• The girl students between 10-14 age group and boys between 6-14 age groups should be mainstreamed to the KGBV and RSTC.
• The District Child Labour Task Force should be activated and regular meetings and functioning should be done.
• Mapping of ‘hot spots’ and vulnerable pockets/communities of the district through surveys by the concerned department be done.
• Phase wise child labour survey to be done by District Labour Commissioner.
• Use of various databases like Child Tracking system for out of school children to be used by SSA in mapping child labour.
• The team visited Nikori Gaon in Golaghat, affected by floods and noticed that no primary health care was available making children vulnerable to diseases like small pox fever.
• It was recommended that frequent health camps are organised by district authorities, mainly for children.
• The team also had discussions on various child related problems affecting the district children with district authorities, like child labour, illegal child adoption, child marriage, POCSO cases etc.
• They recommended concerned authorities to conduct awareness campaigns, especially in Tea garden areas and villages and involve ASHA, ANM and AWW in the process.
• The team visited Jyotirmoy Shishu Udyan and Jyotirmoyee Shishu Kendra Crèche, and found that the park was not maintained properly violating the rights of children to recreational activities. Also the Crèche, under Indian Council of Child Welfare (ICCW) was not child friendly. It looked more like an unhygienic store room.
• The members recommended that both the places be made child friendly and maintained well by concerned authorities.